Tag: squirrels

Meet Eric (of the Landmark Tribe)

June 11, 2018

Meet Eric

Eric is a squirrel in the Landmark Tribe.  They live deep in the Wooded Lands in some big ancient trees.

Eric is the eldest son of Mama Nut and Kahoona, the leader of the Landmark Tribe.  His grandfather is Grappy and his grandmother is Granny Pecan.  Granny Pecan makes the best hazelnut pie in all of the Wooded Lands!

Eric has a sister (called a squirreless) named Magnolia.  He and Magnolia are of courting age, but Magnolia hasn’t found her mate yet.  Eric is courting Hazel.

Eric is just old enough to consider himself out of the Crunchies (the word for “teenage squirrels”), although most of the younger Crunchies consider him the eldest of them.

He orders his thoughts carefully before speaking.  He is considerate of others and gentle to the squawlers (babies or very young squirrels).  Eric is always respectful.  He helps lead others in what is right.

Here is an excerpt from “The Busting Berry Bath,” in which Eric tries to encourage Chip, who is narrating the story:

“I was held in the spell of newness that encased the nest.  I’d never seen an egg hatch.  The mama bird showed up and settled on the nest, feeding the older baby birds and preening the hatchling.  Precious.

“You saved it,” I heard a voice as I tried to slip away.  It was Eric.  I grabbed my baskets and quickly started filling them with berries.  Eric came near me and helped.  He tossed berries into the basket without missing just like Granny with the nuts. 

I shrugged. 

“All life is worth fighting for,” Eric nodded as he gently placed the last berry to crown one basketload.  “Even if it’s just a bird.”

I knew he was using Woody’s words to make a point, but I missed it. 

“Thanks for helping,” I offered.  He gave me the basket and I carried both to Granny Pecan.  The image of that tiny little bird hatching out of his shell – I didn’t even know if it was a boy baby or a girl baby – was so neat.  Maybe I did save it.  I felt blessed. And we hurried back for the best pie in the whole wide wonderful world!

So, that was the story of how I, Chip, Crunchie of the Landmark Tribe in the wooded lands, was rained on by the Busting Berry Bath while harvesting toppings for a heavenly hazelnut pie.”

Oh, oops, Chip forgot, the full story isn’t here!  You have to read Chip tell the whole story in “The Busting Berry Bath!”

Thanks for reading!

Type at you next time…

~Nancy Tart

God Is Everywhere

Sometimes we seem to pick up on the neatest of hidden gems in movies. Just some thoughts from a discussion about a movie we watched!

January 10, 2018

God is Everywhere

We usually talk about movies after watching them.  The girls were discussing a movie while sitting at the “stone table” (what the little girls call the stone bench and table they get to do school at while waiting for the big girls at college) today.

The exchange from this movie being discussed goes generally like this:

“Don’t rob me of my hate…”

“…God has given us a second chance.  Don’t slap His hand away.”

“God? Can’t I ever get away from Him?”

“No.  God is everywhere, even in a kiss…”

And so this story that, as a novel, is a story of bitter vengeance and betrayal becomes morphed for the big screen into a story of forgiveness and God’s mercy.

Jaquline says, “I like how God is everywhere.  The Bible says He’s in the darkest valley and the tallest mountain.  Is God really in a kiss?”

“I think so,” Kimberly pipes up, “God also gives life and love.”

“So if God is in everything, do squirrels get married?” Jillian asked.  (She loves the Landmark Tribe squirrel stories, and in those, the squirrels are married.)

“God is in everything; He created everything,” Jaquline sighed, “but I don’t know if squirrels get married for real.  Dogs don’t but when we are feeling sad, God uses Prim’s and Sheba’s kisses to make us happier.” (Prim and Sheba are our dogs.)

“So God is even in doggie kisses!” laughed Jillian.

I smiled.  The sun that warms us, the air we breathe, the water, plants, animals; each spark of life is a gift from God.  “God is in everything” isn’t just a movie line; it’s real.  Sometimes we try to make God so distant when in reality He’s inside us, touching everything within and around us.  No, we can never get away from Him.  That’s the beauty and mystery of His love.  Why would the God who spoke the universe into existence want to “chase after” each of us?  God is in everything so that everything we see, feel, and love reflects His love for us.  In this way, all of creation sings God’s glory!

Thanks for reading!

Type at you later…

~Nancy Tart

Meet Granny Pecan

Meet a sweet, pie-baking, Granny from The Landmark Tribe of Furry Squirrels

August 12, 2017

Meet Granny Pecan

Deep in the Wooded Lands but not too far from most of us, there lives a tribe of furry squirrels known as the Landmark Tribe.  They spend their whole lives racing through trees gathering nuts, berries, and other foods to eat and to store for winter.  The whole tribe works together to keep healthy, grow strong, and raise their squawlers.

Granny Pecan is the wise woman of the tribe.  Although she would laugh at such a title and say “I just speak through my lens of experience so you avoid my mistakes,” Granny Pecan is a sweet, thoughtful, grandmother squirrel loaded with tips, tricks, and wisdom.  The other squirrelesses in the tribe come to her often for all kinds of mothering advice, especially regarding Crunchies (teenage boys) since Granny Pecan and Grappy raised six of those!

She is a baker.  Oh, what a baker!  It is the opinion of every male squirrel in the Landmark Tribe (and maybe all of the Wooded Lands) that Granny Pecan’s hazelnut pie is a golden slice of heaven.  Rumor has it that her second son, Big Oak, loved her hazelnut pie so much that he named his daughter Hazel because of it.

Granny Pecan often snags one or more of the Crunchies to help her gather items.  This is what happens to Chip in Busting Berry Bath.  You can read more about Granny Pecan in any of the Landmark Tribe books!

Thanks for reading!

Type at you next time…

~Nancy Tart

Meet Chip

July 30, 2017

Meet Chip

There’s a squirrel in the Wooded Lands, member of the Landmark Tribe, named Chip.  He’s a Crunchie (squirrel-speak for teenage boy) with a love of juggling.

Chip likes to get lost watching baby animals.  He especially likes entertaining squawlers (squirrel-speak for baby squirrel) with his juggling.

He likes nuts – but his favorite food of all is Granny Pecan’s scrumptious hazelnut pie!

Like every Crunchie in the Landmark Tribe for as far back as memory goes, he enjoys fishing (although squirrels don’t eat fish!) and trades fine fat fish to the Beaver clan for skillfully sawed sticks.

Chip is a fun-loving Crunchie.  He narrates Busting Berry Bath.  He isn’t the biggest or the strongest, but he has a strong character.  In that story, Chip learns that sometimes even the small choices we make have a great impact on someone.

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Thanks for reading!

Type at you next time…

~Nancy Tart

Squirrel Book!

Furry squirrels lighting the way : new book!

July 17, 2017

Furry Squirrels Lighting the Way

One day we were driving home and a squirrel jumped out in front of the van.  Amid squeals and screams from “Don’t hit it!” and “Mommy! A squirrel!” to “Yummy! Squirrel stew!” I managed to avoid it.

We were on our way to church.  Our church family calls themselves the squirrels.  Instantly, the girls were coming up with nutty squirrel names and reasons for why this “teenage boy squirrel” was out in the road. (I have no idea how it became a teenage boy squirrel, we certainly didn’t catch it and examine it!)

They suggested I write a bunch of stories with these cute little squirrels.  We jotted down names, ages, and built squirrel families in the “Landmark Tribe” in the “wooded lands.”  This was complete with the Beaver Clan and the masked robber family (raccoons).  Several of our chicken names were drafted for Landmark Tribe’s squirrels.  They even sketched out character traits!  Granny Pecan was the first character made.  Her heavenly hazelnut pie was perfected.  They drew pictures and giggled about the squirrels’ stories.

The first story to be published is just out!  Busting Berry Bath is a humorous tale told by Chip, one of the Crunchies of the Landmark Tribe.  (Adults are “elders,” babies are “squawlers,” and teenagers are “crunchies.”)  Each story is a squirrel-style fable; special messages of good character are hidden within. (Can you find the message?)  In their own quirky, squirrely way, these squirrels are lighting the way for all good creatures.

We hope you enjoy this story and the many more to follow!

Thanks for reading!

Type at you next time…

~Nancy Tart

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